Wedding snapshots

Denise Hale and Jo Schuman Silver, the San Francisco contingent at Liza Minnelli's wedding to David Gest, report that everybody was beautiful, everything was perfect, all the food (lobster to start, steak for the main course) was delicious, the bride and groom were sublimely happy. A few additional details:

A medley of songs from MGM musicals was played before the bride came down the aisle on the arm of her musical conductor; the choir sang "Amazing Grace"; and the reason that Natalie Cole sang "Unforgettable" is that it was the favorite song of Liza's late father, Vincente Minnelli. The church looked fabulous, said Silver, who was willing to qualify that description only when TIC asked her to rank it against St. Ignatius a la Stanlee Gatti for the recent San Francisco Wedding to End All Weddings. "Nothing can compare to the church where Gavin and Kimberly got married," she said.

As to what people wore, "they all put on the dog," said Silver. After the ceremony, Liza changed from her white wedding gown to a short red dress and was wrapped in a full-length white mink coat for the voyage from the church to the hotel where the dinner reception was held. Maid of honor Marisa Berenson's red and black frock, by Ferre, got Silver's vote for best dress; bridesmaid Mia Farrow, who along with all the other bridesmaids was asked to wear black, came in a tuxedo and brought along seven or so of her children; Elizabeth Taylor (who left early because she was in pain, and has broken her back five times since having brain surgery, said the New York Post) wore a black hat with her black dress.

"Everybody was rooting for her," said the always-positive Silver. "She came back from the brink. And he's very sweet." The New York Post reported yesterday that police cleared the men's bathroom around midnight because "the fog of pot smoke was drifting into the ballroom." .

KICKING BACK: Readers who may have been surprised at last week's revelation that unglamorous-but-cute Birkenstocks will be included in the Oscar presenters' baskets will be further shocked to learn that every winner, nominee and presenter will take home a La-Z-Boy recliner. "We are certain that the celebrities receiving these La-Z-Boy chairs will be satisfied with our new look of style and world-famous comfort," said company President Kurt Darrow, apparently dreaming of a reclining Russell Crowe, serene at last.

P.S. The San Francisco apparel company Upper Playground is very happy to have noticed Carson Daly wearing an Upper Playground sweatshirt on MTV recently.

P.P.S. And Tom Roach of Tom's Cookies says he bought every Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in San Francisco so he could unwrap them, surround them with dough and bake them into "Rosie's Peanut Butter Cup" cookies, distributed yesterday to Rosie O'Donnell's audience members on the occasion of her 40th birthday. .

A rose by any other name isn't "He called me 'Woody' and nobody calls me 'Woody.' " . Washington Post Assistant Managing Editor
Bob Woodward
, a victim of President Bush's penchant for nicknames. Woodward was quoted in the Georgetowner.